Newly recruited health visitors can better support children with special educational needs (SEN) and disabilities by joining-up services, according to Ann Gross, Director of early years, extended schools and special needs at the Department for Education.

To mark the “National Year of Communication”, the National Literacy Trust is launching a new website for parents and carers which emphasises the positive role they can play in helping their baby develop communication skills.

The Health Visitor Implementation Plan, published on 8 February, proposes to increase and rejuvenate the health visiting service, with an extra 4,200 health visitors to support families with young children.

A recent online survey conducted by 4Children and the Daycare Trust has found that around 7% of children's centres are expected to close within a year, 56% expect to offer a reduced service and 86% will face cuts to their funding.

One year on from the publication of "Fair Society, Healthy Lives" the Marmot review have published new research which found that nearly half, 44%, of five-year-olds are not considered to have a good level of development by their teachers.

The National Literacy Trust is a registered charity no. 1116260 and a company limited by guarantee no. 5836486 registered in England and Wales and a registered charity in Scotland no. SC042944.
Registered address: 68 South Lambeth Road, London SW8 1RL.